Control means for strip coiling apparatus



y 23, 1961 c. T. LANSTROM ET AL 2,985,400

CONTROL MEANS FOR STRIP comma APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l m fl m a n N M N W 50/ a R A VTT, w y i M L M r 8 R m m a Z am .w Q mm ll 4 mm vm mm J mm United States Patent CONTROL MEANS FOR STRIP COILING APPARATUS Carl T. Lanstrom and James V. Shatting, Concord, Calif.,

assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 5,389

Claims. (Cl. 24278.1)

The present invention relates generally to strip processing and more particularly to improved apparatus for coiling strip material.

Although not restricted thereto, the subject invention is particularly adapted for use in recoiling steel strip in a side-trim line and the details of the invention will be described with reference to such use.

In a conventional side-trimming operation the strip is passed through a pair of pinch rolls before it is recoiled. After passing through the pinch rolls the strip is recoiled on the expansible reel head of a rotatable coiler block. When the side-trimming line is threaded with the strip preparatory to the side-trimming and recoiling operation, the pinch rolls are spaced apart so as to facilitate passing the leading end of the strip therebetween and onto the reel head where it is clamped. Then after the leading end of the strip has been clamped in the reel head, the latter head is expanded to a diameter equal to the maximum diameter of the core of the coil to be formed and the reel-driving motor is started. The pinch rolls are brought together after rotation of the reel head has been started.

Prior to our invention the operation of the conventional side-trimming line as just described made it almost impossible to wind the first few convolutions of strip tightly on the reel head due to the slack in the strip between the pinch rolls and the reel head. Such slack in the strip existed during the initial revolutions of the reel head before the pinch rolls had been brought together to tension the strip. When tension in the strip between the pinch rolls and the reel head was finally obtained, the subsequent tightening of the strip on the reel head caused reel breaks and uneven coil ends. Severe reel breaks frequently resulted in uneven coil windings, producing excess scrap and damaged coils unsuitable for subsequent operations or shipping.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of the present invention to eliminate the difficulties described above by providing an improved coiling'apparatus including novel control means for regulating the expansionof a coiler reel head especially during the initial part of thecoiling operation.

This and other objects will become more apparentafter referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is a horizontal sectional view including a schematic illustration of the pressure fluid system of the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view taken on the line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic view in straight line form showing circuits suitable for controlling the apparatus of the invention; and

Figure 4 is a schematic view showing relays employed in the circuits of Figure 3. The vertical spacing of relay contacts and coils in Figure 4 is similar to the vertical spacing of such contacts and coils in Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing reference Patented May 23, 1961 ice numeral 2 designates the expansible reel head of a coiler 4. The head is mounted on axle shaft 6 projecting from one end of a reel block 8 and journaled in anti-friction bearings therein. The shaft 6 has a gear 12 keyed thereon adjacent the end thereof remote from the reel head. A pinion 14 keyed on a shaft 16, which is driven by a motor (not shown), meshes with and drives gear 12 to rotate the shaft 6 and reel head 2. A control gear drive 18 is connected to and is driven by one end of the shaft 16. A rotating shutter 20 is driven by the gear mechanism 18 and is disposed to interrupt periodically a beam from a light source 22 to a photoelectric cell 24 of a photocell unit. The photoelectric cell 24 includes relay 24 having a normally open contact 24a. The gear drive mechanism 18, shutter 20 and photocell unit are mounted on a post'26 adjacent the coiler.

A push rod 28 slidable axially in the reel head 2 operates the mechanism thereof to expand and collapse it in a manner which is well known in the art and, therefore, need not be explained in detail herein. It will sufiice for a clear understanding of the invention to point out that, as viewed in Figure 1, when the push rod is moved to the left it causes expansion of the reel head and when moved to the right it causes the reel head to collapse. The push rod 28 is connected with the piston rod 30 of a fluid-pressure cylinder 32 by a swivel 42. The piston rod 30 projects from both ends of the cylinder 32 and the projecting end thereof remote from the push rod 28 has a cam ring 36 thereon adapted to engage the actuating arm and roller 38 of a limit switch 40.

Air fluid such as air under pressure is supplied to" the cylinder 32 at opposite ends thereof, as viewed in Figure l, by air lines 44 and 46, respectively, under the control of a four-way valve 48 operated by solenoids '48s.and 48s and a spring-return valve 50 operated in one direction by a solenoid 50s.

In operation, the lead end of the strip material being processed is inserted in the gripper element (not shown) of the reel head 2 in the conventional manner and the reel-head driving motor (not shown) is operated to drive the reel head through pinion 14, gear 12, and axle shaft 6, as described above. Valve 48 is then actuated, by energizing solenoid 48s, to admit air through line 44 to the right end of cylinder 32 to move piston rod 30 to the left. As the piston rod thus moves to the left, it causes movement of the push rod 28 in the same direction which, in turn causes expansion of reel head 2. Before reel head 2 is expanded to its maximum diameter, the cam ring 36 actuates the limit switch 40, causing energization of solenoid 50s to shift valve 50 to the right thus blocking piston rod 30 and immobilizing piston and stopping the expansion of reel head 2 short of its maximum diameter.

Simultaneously with the closing of valve 50, switch 40 turns on the light source 22 of the photocell unit. As the reel head 2 rotates, the gear drive 18 operates shutter 20 and, as the shutter rotates, it intermittently breaks the light beam to the photocell unit. A stepping switch 52 is connected with and operated by the photocell unit during rotation of the reel head 2 and shutter 20 to advance itself step-by-step toward a normally closed operating contact to be referred to later. The operating contact is reached and opened after a predetermined number of revolutions of the reel head and shutter. Opening of the operating contact cuts off the current to the light source 22 and to solenoid 50s. This causes valve 50 to shift to the left to permit air to resume flowing into the right end of cylinder 32 to move piston rod 30 further to the left. The push rod 28 moves with the piston rod 30 and the reel head is expanded to its maximum diameter which causes tightening of the wraps of strip on the reel head. Coiling of the strip material then proceeds in the usual manner.

The electrical system for operation of the apparatus of the invention is illustrated schematically in Figures 3 and 4 of drawing and functions as follows:

The contacts of each relay of the electrical system illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 and described herein are designated by the same reference numeral which is used to designate the Operating coil of the relay followed by a characterizing letter designation.

After the reel driving motor (not shown) has been started, a push button switch 54 is operated to momentarily close a normally open contact 54a thereof and complete a circuit between power lines L1 and L2 and actuate a relay 56 to close a normally open contact 56a of the relay and complete a circuit to solensoid 48s of valve 48. Operation of push button 54 also momentarily opens a normally closed contact 54b of the switch 54 for a purpose to be more fully explained hereinafter. Actuation of solenoid 48s causes valve 48 to shift to the right and permit pressurized air to be conducted to the right end of cylinder 30 to cause expansion of reel head 2 to a diameter short of its maximum diameter as explained above. As the reel head 2 expands, piston rod 30 closes normally open switch 40 and completes a circuit between power lines L1 and L2 through a closed contact 56b of relay 56 and a normally closed contact 52a of stepping switch 52 to actuate a relay 6!). Actuation of relay 56 also closes a normally open contact 560 of the relay to close a seal-in circuit for relay 56 across the push button switch 54. When relay 60 is actuated, a normally open contact 60a thereof is closed to complete a circuit to solenoid 50s which causes shifting of the valve 50 to the right (as viewed in Figure l) to immobilize pressure cylinder 30 and stop expansion of reel head 2.

At the same time, a normally open contact 60b of relay 60 is closed to complete a circuit to the light source 22 of the photocell unit. The beam of light from source 22 energizes the photoelectric cell 24 causing relay 24' thereof to close its closing contact 24a to complete a circuit between power lines L1 and L2 to index the stepping switch 52 each time the rotating shutter moves out of the beam of light between source 22 and cell 24. After the shutter 20 has interrupted the light beam a predetermined number of times the normally closed contact 52a of stepping switch 52 is opened. Opening of contact 52a deenergizes relay 60 and opens its contacts 60a and 6011. Opening of contact 60a interrupts the circuit to solenoid 50s and causes the valve 50 to be returned to open position by spring 51. Opening of contact 60b breaks the circuit to the light source 22. When valve 50 is returned to open position, flow of pressurized air to the right end of cylinder is resumed and the reel head 2 is caused to expand to its maximum diameter. Coiling of the strip material is then completed in the usual manner. 1

After the coiling of the strip material has been completed, the reel head 2 is collapsed so that the coil of material can be stripped from the reel head. Collapse of the reel head is brought about by operating a push button switch 62 to momentarily open a normally closed contact 62a and momentarily close a normally open contact 62b of the switch 62. Opening of contact 62a deenergizes relay 56 while closing of contact 621: completes a circuit between power lines L1 and L2 to actuate a relay 64 to close normally open contacts 64a, 64b and 64c of the relay. Closing of contact 64a closes a sealing circuit for relay 64 across the'push button switch 62. Closing of contact 64b which is connected in parallel with the stepping switch 52 closes a homing circuit for the stepping switch. Closing of contact 640 completes a circuit between power lines L1 and L2 to energize solenoid 48s which shifts the valve 48 to the left to permit pressurized air to be conducted to the left end of cylinder 30 to move piston rod 32 and push rod 28 to the right to collapse the reel head 2.

Relay 64 remains energized and its contacts 64a, 64b and 640 remain closed untilcontact 54b of push button switch 54 is momentarily opened upon initiation of expansion of reel head 2 at the start of the next coiling cycle.

While one embodiment of our invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a coiling reel including a shaft, a collapsible head mounted thereon, a push rod slidable through the shaft for operating said head, and a fluid-pressure cylinder having a piston rod connected to said push rod, the combination therewith of means for blocking said piston rod against movement intermediate the ends of its stroke, means actuated by initial movement of said piston rod to render said blocking means effective, and means responsive to a predetermined rotation of said shaft to render said blocking means ineffective. V

2. Apparatus as defined by claim l'in which said blocking means is' a valve.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which said means actuated by initial movement of said piston rod is a limit switch.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which said means responsive to rotation of said shaft includes a photocell and means driven in timed relation with said shaft to interrupt periodically the illumination of said photocell.

5. The combination with an expansible head coiler including an axially slidable actuating rod and power means for moving said rod, of means responsive to initial movement of said rod for temporarily arresting further movement of said rod, and means responsive to a limited number of turns of said head coiler for rendering said arresting means ineffective.

' References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,97 6,6 1 1 

